Boundless Black - 2019 Art Calendars

“A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black,
because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light."
~ Leonardo da Vinci

 

My 2019 "BOUNDLESS BLACK" Desk and Wall Calendars

 

Please preview the images and purchase while supplies last. 

2019 calendars make memorable presents for all the art and nature lovers
on your holiday list! They're sure to be appreciated year round. 

Desk calendars make awesome family, hostess, co-worker,

 neighbor, teacher or client gifts.

Discounts apply for multiple purchases.

Thanks for taking a look and supporting small American businesses like mine!

X ♥  O

👩‍🎨

Owl Bet You'd Love Joyful Art Making

"Misery comes free.
Joy, fun and laughter take planning."
~ C. W. Metcalf

This is one of the demo pieces I did for tomorrow's Alcohol Ink Studio Class here at The Sandarosa. Now WHOO doesn't love having fun, while learning how to paint whimsical owls in alcohol ink? I teach beginners through accomplished professionals all together in one class and the results are nothing short of amazing. I still have a couple of spots available for October 27th (tomorrow's class), but it looks like that may the last ones that are up for grabs during my last studio session for 2018! Get more information HERE and send me a message to reserve your spot!! Go ahead, make a difference in your life, Give a HOOT and come and grab yourself some FUN! OWL always be happy to have you here!!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great Fall.

X ♥  O

👩‍🎨🍁🧙‍♀️🔮

If The Broom Fits ...

"If The Broom Fits, Fly It!"

Here is a photo of the painting that inspired my current exhibit "If The Broom Fits, Fly It" at my gallery at 33 S. Main St., Medford, NJ. This is an original 12 x 12"acrylic pour on canvas, detailed with alcohol ink which is on display and for sale for only $249. And I also have a 10 x 10" reproduction on 1/2" black foam core, wired and ready for hanging for $60. and it includes a handsome black wooden easel for tabletop display.

I also have this image available as a matted 8 x 10" reproduction and other Halloween prints on their way this week here!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great Fall.

X ♥  O

👩‍🎨🍁🧙‍♀️🔮

Still Searching And Learning

“Learning is the beginning of wealth. 

Learning is the beginning of health. 

Learning is the beginning of spirituality. 

Searching and learning is where the miracle process all begins.” 

~ Jim Rohn

This is a 5 x 7" painting on Yupo paper, matted to 8 x 10" - It is a Birch Tree / Pour Lesson - for tomorrow's Sandarosa Studio Class - "To mask, or not to mask, that is the question".... Both techniques will be demonstrated and practiced. These trees were done by masking the trees before pouring the background.

These trees were done without masking by lifting the ink from the poured ink background.

Registration for enrollment in the 2018 Fall Session of my online alcohol ink ecourse, the Fundamentals of alcohol Ink, opens Saturday, Sept. 22nd at 9:54 pm, EDT to coincide with this year's Fall Equinox. The purchase of the full course or individual weeks comes with lifetime enrollment! Go HERE for more detailed information.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great week.

X ♥  O

Sharing His Song

"In spite of everything, I shall rise again; 

I will take up my pencil, which I have
forsaken in my great discouragement, 

and I will go on with my drawing."
~ Vincent van Gogh

This drawing is from my Sketching Everyday Blog. It is from a photo taken at Cedar Run, a local wildlife refuge.The owl in the scene is a beloved male barred owl named Squam.

From the CedarRunWildlife Instagram post;

cedarrunwildlife "It is with heavy hearts we share the news of the passing of our great friend, beloved teacher, and loyal ambassador, Squam. For many of the tens of thousands of people who know Cedar Run, chances are, they know Squam. Squam was a true ambassador and educator. He engaged tens of thousands of our members, neighbors, school children, visitors, volunteers, staff and community members with his sense of calm and endearing looks. It was hard not to feel love when looking upon Squam. A true teacher to the end, his lessons will continue on far into the future. Squam first came to us in 2002, when he was about two years old, he packed a lot of living in his 18 years on this earth. He lived a grand life with us, and will be missed by many. One of his favorite things to do was to share his song with us. He loved to sing in auditoriums, where his song would soar and fill the space, or he would sing to the female barred owls in the wild and try to call them to him, sometimes he would sing to the passing fire engine or to the music he heard on the radio. Sometimes it seemed he would sing simply to share his song."

This is a drawing by student and friend, Judy Scott, who worked at the wildlife center
rehabilitating birds and other animals for many years.

 Judy wrote; "  I have access to Squam and I combined two pictures. This is a sketch of Squam and a fledgling Barred Owl. In 2007 Squam was a foster parent to a young Barred Owl that came into the refuge. Although Squam is a male, he was a great surrogate, teaching the young one to eat and fly. Eventually the fledgling was released back into the wild. Thanks for all your support of Cedar Run."

“When the owl sings, the night is silent.” 
 ~ Charles de Leusse

May your spirit continue to soar dear Squamie.

Please add your own recollections about this awesome wildlife ambassador in the comments.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great week.

X ♥  O

 

Surprise and Growth

"Unless you try to do something beyond

what you have already mastered, 

you will never grow."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

I took off a couple of months from giving studio classes to pursue acrylic pouring. It is always exhilarating to expand the artist's toolbox and learn something new!! You never know how these babies are going to turn out! 

"The experience of surprise is a sign of one's readiness to grow."

~ Sidney Jourard

Thanks So Much for Stopping By and Happy Creating!

X ♥  O

Come Sketch With Me!

"Drawing is the only thing I've found

in which I can lose myself Completely."

~ P. Capaldi

Small objects you love, make great models for quick gesture drawings.

This sketch was done with a quick gesture *holding the pencil like a wand

and then details were added, **holding the pencil like you would to write your name.

*** See Drawing Tips Below

If you are strapped for time, just do one set of 2 minute gestures everyday.

You'll be surprised how much even that little bit will help!

The brain processes 3D objects differently than when viewing flat, 2D reference. Drawing from photos is good practice too, but there are some real benefits to to starting off the summer season with drawing from life!

Here's a photo of the nest which was drawn from life, at a slightly different angle. 

***Some Tips on Drawing two minute gestures from life.

• When drawing small objects, it helps to get the item closer to eye level, so I set them up on a box or a large coffee can.

• It also helps to isolate the subject with a solid colored background.

• Closing one eye often helps if you are having difficulty.

• When drawing, try to keep your body and head in the same position or your view will change.

• Prop your drawing pad up at an angle. Use a Beanie Baby, or something similar.

• Squint to see large shapes as you start to draw quickly.

• Hold your pencil *In Position One - like a wand (*Like you were conducting an orchestra) It's the complete opposite position from **Position Two (**the position we use to write our name).

• Block in large shapes. Use the side of the pencil. Look at negative space. Make comparisons.

• Then, if you still have time, turn the pencil to **Position Two  and add a few details.

• You can see a short video on sketching gestures and how to hold your pencil here.

Follow this link for more tips on how to go about doing quick gestures. http://www.sketchingeveryday.com/…/in-starting-gate-and-the… 

Come Sketch Everyday With Me This Summer From June 1 - August 31st!  

Join our facebook group here.

"Sometimes the very best of all summer books is a blank notebook. Get one big enough, and you can practice sketching the lemon slice in your drink, the hot lifeguard on the beach or the

vista down the hill from your cabin." 

~ MM. Dirda

Happy Creating My Friends!

X ♥  O

 

Proven Formula For Increasing Skill

“Drawing is a frame of mind,

a loving embrace, if you will."

~ Susan Avishai

Do Eight Drawings in 15 minutes!

Discover how you can drastically increase your drawing skills,
when you sketch for just 15 minutes a day!
 

Models at Sandarosa Studio

Everything has a gesture!

Although often used as warm up for a life drawing session,

gesture drawing is an important exercise in developing skill in drawing.

Drawing from life uses different "muscles" than drawing from a photo does.

The brain processes 3D objects differently than when viewing flat, 2D reference. 

See more about gesture drawing  here:

Models. Timer and 2 Minute Sketches

I downloaded a free Simple Interval Timer (SIT) for my iPad and

set up 16) sets of 2 min. each with 10 seconds in-between ea. 2 min.

8 Drawings in 15 Minutes

Here's How To Do It -
• Start the the timer and sketch for 2 minutes.                  

• When the timer goes off,  turn (the model) 1/4 turn.      
• Repeat every 2 minutes.                                                  

• For 16 sessions, you can draw 4 views each                   

of four different models in just 33 minutes.        

• If you only have 15 minutes to spare, just do 8 drawings.
• And if you are really strapped for time, just do one set.  

Even a very small amount of time that is
allotted everyday will make a huge difference.

 Think of it as homework.
"I must warn you that it's addictive and the more you draw,
the more time you are going to want to spend doing it."
~ Sandy

A Quick Watercolor Wash is Added

 Join Our DrawingEveryday / SketchingEveryday Group on Facebook!

Gesture drawing is not just for figure drawing anymore!!

See more about 6 step sketching here.

Thanks for your friendship.

Happy Happy Creating!!

X ♥  O

Quality Time Memories

"In family relationships, love is really spelled T.I.M.E."
~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I had SO MUCH FUN creating with my nephews visiting from Colorado last Friday!

Alcohol Ink Paintings by Nephews, Dillon & Cody Yates - First-Time Inkers!

We covered a lot of ground, did a bunch of different techniques (on tiles, Yupo and black vinyl),

had a lot of laughs and created some wonderful memories.

Cody and Dillon were naturals.

  I only had to explain things once to them.

They both quickly grasped all the techniques I shared.

Not bad for first timers!

 They are very pleased with their accomplishments and I am very proud of them!

Cody and I pose with the Sandarosa Sentry

Dillon and I with the Yard Guard

So grateful I was able to spend some real quality time with two super great guys. 

 Maybe someday they will find time from their mountain biking and snowboarding

and take up art. I know they both have a real aptitude for it!

"Spending time with your family and your real friends keeps you grounded."

And Don't Forget About -

 GIVEAWAY ON INSTAGRAM- OPEN to ALL MY FOLLOWERS THERE! 

 and ... the FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink E-Course.

Summer 2018 Class Opens June 6th

Thanks So Much for Stopping By

X ♥  O